Changes
by LuvStruckWriter
Summary: Artemis left the team, left the league, and left all her old friends. What happens when she visits and old friend and lets him into her heart? I purposefully am not telling you who he is until later.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! It's Abby again! I know this isn't the story you wanted, but I was watching youtube last night and an idea struck me. I know there are a lot of similar stories out there, but I hope you guys like it. Let me know if there's anything I need to fix. Plus, this is an all Abby story. Alya has "Tingia" and we are doing "Who Am I?" together so here is the first look inside my head. Again, let me know if there's any problems.**

Artemis jumped the gap between the last two roofs and stood on the edge looking over the large property. She hadn't been here since she was fifteen. A lot had changed since then. She was now on her own. She had no affiliation with her dad or Green Arrow. She worked for whoever would hire her. She didn't have a side. She refused to do the work that would put a black mark on her record though. Murder was out of the question. She would also never do large theft jobs. If she couldn't do it alone, she wouldn't take the job. Of course she no longer wore her normal costume anymore seeing as she outgrew it and it didn't fit with her lifestyle anymore. She jumped off the roof and landed on the other side of the fence. What would he think if he came back from patrol and she was here. At least she hoped he still lived here. If he had moved out, she would be waiting all night. Then again, who said he was still part of the life. He may have gone off to college and gotten an apartment somewhere for all she knew. In fact, he may be done with college even.

She walked across the grass and up the hill before climbing the tree beside the window. It was open. 'Odd. He never leaves this open. Not even when he knows I'm coming.' She climbed in and looked around. Many of his things were gone. She looked at his old nightstand beside the window. An envelope sat there with his new forwarding address, "Looks like this trip is going to be a little longer than expected." She looked around the room and climbed out the window. She seriously hoped the zeta-beams would still let her through. She stepped in and before she knew it she was flashed to a new place. She blinked a few times in the dark trying to adjust. Apparently the league wasn't up to expelling her yet. She was still in the system. It had been so long since she had been through the zeta. She felt a little dizzy. It was always a rough experience, but she wasn't used to it anymore.

Artemis climbed a fire escape silently and followed the streets to the address she had seen. It definitely wasn't as bad as the Narrows, but it wasn't a place she had expected him to go. She sat on the edge of the building trying to gather her thoughts. He was in the top apartment right under her. This window wasn't open, this seemed more like him. She slipped down onto the fire escape and pushed the window up. 'You're losing your touch. You always kept it locked.' She pushed the window down with only a small gap. That way he knew she was there. That had always been her way of telling him.

She looked at the clock beside the bed, 1:04 am. He wouldn't be back for almost an hour. He never came back before two. At least, not when he was younger. She decided to take the opportunity to explore. Beside the bed were two tables one held a clock and a lamp, as well as a book. "_Romeo and Juliet_? Someone's stuck in the old days." She remembered reading that in her English class in high school. On the other table were several photos. One consisted of the entire team when they were younger. It made her smile. She missed them, but those were the old days. They had all taken different paths now. Another picture was of her, Dick, and Wally. It was like yesterday. She had kicked Wally's butt yet again after five rounds of sparring, but they were determined to throw her in the pool. Wally put her up on his shoulders and carried her around giving her a victory round. When they reached the pool,  
Robin set the camera and they threw her. She climbed out and put her arms around them giving them a look that said "I'll get revenge" right as the camera flashed. She shook her head. She never did get her revenge, but someday she would.

Artemis looked around again before walking into the bathroom. Exploring was the same as studying right? She wanted to know as much about him as she could before he got back. She looked in the dark mirror to see the paled darkness that was her face and the black shadow that surrounded it. With her line of work, you had to stay hidden and her blonde hair didn't help the matter. She had opted to dye it black. That was the first thing he would notice after seeing her. She noticed the pictures hanging in the bathroom. There was another of the team, another of the trio, and one of the two of them hanging above the other two. She chuckled seeing the old picture and reached out to pull it down.

A large, strong hand wrapped itself around her wrist and spun her around, "Who are you and what are you doing here?" She stared into a mask for a moment a bit shocked. Shock then crossed the man's face as he took in her features. His hand loosened, "Artemis? Is-" He dropped her arm and stepped back, "Is that really you?"

As he stepped back, she looked him up and down studying him. Her eyes practically bugged out of her head, "What happened to you?!"

A crooked smile crossed his face, "Well, I would know that voice anywhere, even after seven years. It's good to see you."

Her eyebrows knit together. She waved her hand up and down gesturing to his entire form, "How did this happen?"

His smile grew and he started to laugh, "I grew up! I'm not thirteen anymore. I'm twenty. If nothing had changed, I think that would be some kind of medical condition."

She chuckled and looked him up and down. She wasn't going to hide the fact that she was checking him out. He was now about eight inches taller than her, he was about five times as muscular, and his facial features, well, wow. "Well, I must say, you aren't the nerdy little kid I used to see when I looked at you. You have definitely come a long way. I'm glad to see you aren't a little shrimp anymore. And the new uniform? I like it." She folded her arms and walked around him. She sat on the edge of the bed, "Plus, I like your new place. Glad to see you aren't still living with Daddy Bats." She laid back and put her hands behind her head.

He rolled his eyes at her, "I'm glad you like it." He walked over to his dresser and pulled out some clothes. "I'll be out in a few. You remember the drill." He turned and walked into the bathroom to shower, closing the door behind him.

She closed her eyes and waited, slowly drifting off. The next thing she knew she heard the bathroom door open and him chuckle as he walked over to sit on the other side of the bed. "If you need a place to stay, you're welcome to stay here. I mean, it's not like there's anyone else here."

Artemis slid up beside him on the bed and closed her eyes again, "You know I'm not going to move right?"

He shook his head smiling, "I know that. That's what I expected. He laid down and rolled over to look at her, "You know, you've grown up too Artemis. You were always pretty mature for your age, for the most part, and I can see you're still as free as always. I just wish you would come back."

She rolled over and looked at him. She couldn't help the laugh that busted from her throat. "That was a trick!" She reached over and pulled the mask carefully from his face, "How do you still forget to take that off?" She recalled several times where he had come back from patrol with Batman when they were younger and he would shower before heading to bed. Every time she had to remind him to take the mask off. He was too used to wearing it that she was surprised he had never worn it to school.

He started to laugh, "I knew that would bring back memories. I still remember you telling me you would glue it to the ceiling the next time I forgot."

"And I did, remember?"

"How could I forget? Bruce was so mad! He wouldn't let me patrol again for a month! And it's still on the ceiling!" He was nearly bursting at the seams from laughter.

Artemis rolled onto her back again in an attempt to restrain her laughter, "You know it's good to see you Dick. I miss the old days."

Dick's laughter quickly died off, "I miss them too. You know you can always come back right?"

She stared at the ceiling, not wanting to make eye contact, "You know better than anyone else that it's not that easy. I started on the right track, but look what simple mistakes got me. I fight for my life to earn a penny and nearly lose it for a dollar. I'm a hired fighter and that's all I can be anymore."

He wasn't going to do this again. She'd done this so many times when they were teenagers. She would stop looking at anyone and shut down. Not anymore. He sat up and put his hands on either side of her head, "You know that isn't true, and if it was, I would fight to get you back in. You know that."

Artemis turned her head away. She was done with the conversation. She wanted him to agree for once. She was hoping he would turn his back on her, because deep down, she knew that she was disappointing herself in her chosen path.

Dick reached one hand to the side of her face and turned her head. "Look at me! You may think you're a lost cause, but you aren't. Would I have spent so many nights trying to cheer you up if I had? You can always turn your life around Artemis."

Artemis looked him in the eye. She could see how honest he was being. That was the reason he always wore the mask. He couldn't hide his emotions in those piercing blue eyes. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. She pursed her lips and put a hand on his neck. Until this moment she had never dared to even let herself think of what she was about to do, but she was going to do it even if she regretted it. She pull Dick's face down to only a couple inches above her. She could feel his breath on her face. She let her eyes soften and she looked him straight in the eye "Thank you, Dick." She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, closing her eyes.

Dick stared in shock for a few seconds before being able to respond. He closed his eyes and let the emotions flow. He could feel her other hand on his chest and it made him smile. It was always his hidden secret, his little fantasy inside his head. He had had a crush on Artemis when she joined the team, but when Wally found interest, Dick thought it best to stay back. Now, his teenage crush had turned into a longing for one of his best friends, and now he was fairly certain he could call her his for the first time in his life.

Artemis pulled back feeling the tears that had fallen down the sides of her face. "So, is that offer to stay over still open?"

He smiled down at her, "Always will be."

She returned his smile, "I think I'll be taking you up on that for a long time."

His smile twisted becoming crooked again, "On one condition. You have to patrol with me every night."

She rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't want it any other way."

Dick chuckled and Artemis could hear the childish cackle hidden behind it. She had to admit, as creepy as it was, she always loved it.

**Okay guys! Here's your chance! Either you liked it or you didn't. If you're reading this, I assume you liked it. I have to get to class in a few so if you want more, type in MORE in all caps in a review. If I can get 15+ people to post MORE, I'll write another chapter. So let me know! I have to be getting to my lab so I'll see you guys later!**


	2. Chapter 2

Artemis turned her head as the sunlight streamed in the window. She could hear the shower running and knew it was time to leave. SHe couldn't turn her life around in an instant. Her record wasn't created in a day and no one could wipe it away in one. She knew Dick would be better off without her around. It wasn't like she was the only thing he had. He had Bruce, Tim, and even Damian. That doesn't include all of the league and his new team. She had been keeping up on the times through the web of information that spread between crooks and villains. She had worked for many of their old enemies. In fact, she was supposed to be on a job for her dad. He was always her biggest hire. She would only work as a one-woman-show though. If she had to rely on anyone else, there was no point in the matter. She didn't trust anyone. Alright, that's a lie. She trusts Dick and sometimes Wally. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Wally since she left either. She climbed from the bed and pulled a piece of paper from Dick's printer. She couldn't believe she was doing this old cliche. She wrote him a note and left it on the bed. She slipped out the bedroom door and down the stairs slowly. She wasn't in the mood to go out the window. Most one night stands were window jumps, but she didn't think that was the best idea when she couldn't concentrate. She followed the buildings trying to clear her head. She kept her feet moving. If she stopped, she'd turn around.

* * *

Dick stepped out of the bathroom smiling. He looked over to the bed to see it empty and a note on his pillow. His smile dropped and he walked over staring at it. He didn't want to touch it. Like it was poisonous, he kept himself away from it. His hand reached out, but pulled back. He didn't want to know it was all a lie. He wished it was something small like, "I went out for somefresh air. Be back in an hour," but he knew it wasn't. There was no chance that it was that simple, and he knew it. He took a deep breath and picked up the note.

_"Dick,_

_I'm sorry, but I can't stay. It's not that I don't want to stay or that I don't want to change, because I do. But I can't just switch sides in an instant. My record wasn't built in a day and even you can't wipe it clean in one. That's why I have to leave. Even if I come back now, there's still so many people who will be looking for me. I can't let anyone I care about get caught in the cross hairs because I decided to switch sides. I especially couldn't forgive myself if it was you, Wally, or any of the team, new or old. I can't let anyone take the fall for me. I'm a lone wolf. That's the way I'm meant to be. I don't want you to come after me or try to find a way to make it work. I came back mainly to prove I wasn't dead...yet. I just had to have a chance to spend one last moment with my best friend, and he gave me an entire night. Thank you Dick. I guess this is goodbye and good luck. I wish you and your new team the best, and for their sakes and yours, I hope we never cross paths again._

_Tigress"_

* * *

Artemis kicked herself for writing that. She had done the most cowardly thing she could think of. She always told herself she wouldn't do something like that, not even if she had a one night stand, and here she was, doing the very thing she hates most to her best friend. She couldn't think about that though. The past was the past and she knew he would be following her soon. She had to take the least likely transportation imaginable for her. She had to take either a cab or a subway or she was sure to be followed. A cab would leave her in plain sight until one stopped, so she opted for the subway. She made her way down the street to the first set of stairs down into the underbelly of Bludhaven.

* * *

Dick knew what Artemis was planning. He knew she would go back to Gotham. It was the last place he'd think to look for her because it was so simple. He wasn't sure how she would get there, but he was sure to beat her. She wouldn't try to beat him there. What would he do if he got there first? Well, he would go to the last place he expected her to go, her mom's apartment. Bruce was paying for the apartment still even though he always insisted upon moving her to a nicer place. She always refused saying the old place held too many memories.

Dick's mind drifted to the many times they had hung out after patrols. She'd leave her window open, though he would advise her not to with her mom there. They'd crawl in the window and spend an hour or so venting or telling stories or just winding down after a long night. After a while, they figured it was best to hang out in his room for fact that Artemis followed him most nights anyway. She would 'walk him home' every night though she knew she didn't need to. She just wanted to spend more time with her best friend. She would come home the moment he closed the window again. He remembered how often after they had switched to his house that she had fallen asleep on the floor, couch, and even his bed. It brought a smile to his face. He had seen her at her worst one night. She and Green Arrow had had a run-in with her dad, Sportsmaster, and her sister, Cheshire. She was a wreck, not to mention battered and bruised. It was one of those nights where the bad guys got away and the hero questioned whether or not they should keep trying. It was the only time she hadn't broken into his window.

* * *

_Dick lay on his bed staring at the ceiling waiting for the tell-tale sound of his window sliding up. He waited for an extra thirty minutes and still heard nothing. He was tempted to text her to see if she had even gone on patrol. He picked up his phone, but before he could type up the message, he heard a single tap on his window. He glanced over and saw nothing. He guessed it was a bat. They had been known to hit his window once in a while. He heard the tap again just before he could press send. This time he knew it wasn't a bat. It was a sharp tap, like a rock hitting the window. Dick cautiously got up, grabbing a smoke bomb from the drawer in his side table before investigating. He looked out to see nothing. He cautiously slid the window up and looked up at the roof above his window, and then down to the ground below. He was on the second floor about fifteen feet off the ground. There on the ground sitting against the wall was a mess of blond hair and green fabric. Her knees were pulled to her chest with her forehead resting on top of them. "Artemis?"_

_Artemis looked up to see Dick at his window. She pulled herself to her feet, supressing the wince that said she wasn't going on patrol again anytime soon. "Meet me at the front door," she said as she began making her way._

_Dick turned and ran, his feet light on the floor as if pursuing a criminal. He jumped the banister above the foyer before slipping silently out the door. He rushed around the side of the manor until he found her less than half way around. "What's going on?" If she didn't come through the window, he knew there was something wrong._

_Artemis wouldn't let herself look weak around her best friend, no matter how good of a detective he was. If he knew she was hurt, she still wouldn't show it. She carefully kept walking. "Can't I come through the front door once in a while?"_

_Dick folded his arms, "Not when you always come in the window. What happened?"_

_Artemis waved her hand, biting her tongue so she didn't hiss in pain, "No big deal. We ran into Cheshire and Sportsmaster."_

_Dick turned and walked to the front door staying slow enough for her to keep up, "That is a big deal Artemis. How many times have we faced them as a team and still not beaten them? You and Oliver could have been seriously hurt."_

_Artemis rolled her eyes. The boy was two years younger and worried about her more than her mother. Then again, he knew the dangers of the job better than her mom. Her mom always thought that Oliver was there to protect her, but in reality, she would take a bullet for her mentor any day. "Oliver's fine! He's home safe and sound, sound asleep probably."_

_Dick turned to her when they reached the front door, "If you think I didn't notice how beat up you are or how much it's affected you, you should get to know me better, because I know _you_ better that you give me credit for." He gave her a look that could almost rival a bat-glare before turning and open the door. They slowly and quietly made their way up to his bedroom before daring to speak again. Dick closed the door and returned his attention to her, opening his mouth to speak but froze. Artemis was curled up against the side of his bed in the same position as she was against the side of the manor. She looked so small and helpless. It almost seemed like she was trying to hold herself together. Dick could only stare for a moment in shock. The girl that was so strong and a beacon of strength and will for everyone was crumbling in front of him. He snapped out of his trance and immediately went to her side, "I'm so sorry Artemis. I didn't mean to upset you."_

_Artemis shook her head and tipped her head up so he could hear her. Her eyes were puffy and red, tears quickly streaked her face and left wet marks on the green fabric of her top. "It wasn't anything you did. I guess I just don't know anymore." She left it at that and put her head back to her knees._

_Dick put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her toward him. He knew she hated being comforted, but he had to try. When she let him pull her close, he knew something was most definitely wrong no matter how little she really showed. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm willing to listen if you want to talk." He wrapped his other arm around her as he held her. Were it not for the slight movements of her breathing, he would probably think she had died in his arms. She was completely limp. She didn't move a muscle and her tears continued to flow silently._

_Artemis didn't feel like her voice would cooperate at the moment and left the bird to wonder as she tried to calm down enough to speak. When she opened her mouth, she could feel the unnaturally sad and questioning tone it held, "I don't know if I should really be out there. I nearly got Oliver killed tonight, and yet I can't tell myself to leave. If I weren't around, there would be one less bounty out on a team member. I don't want to leave any of you, but I'm causing more harm than good. Am I losing my touch? Or did I only get lucky before? Why can't I hold my own anymore? Had it been anyone else, they would have run me through tonight." She turned her head, her voice and emotions betraying her. Her tears came pouring out, accompanied by quickly escalating sobs._

_Dick held tighter to her as if she would truly fall to pieces. "It's not you're fault Artemis. Everyone has off days."_

_She got some of her strength back and pushed him away, "It is my fault! If I hadn't chosen to be Oliver's sidekick, half of the team's and League's problems would disappear! I'm the cause! I'm the one putting everyone in danger! I'm the reason everyone is getting hurt."_

_Dick reached for her, again trying to comfort her, "You know that isn't true, because if it was the League would have dismissed you."_

_Artemis hit his hands away, "It is true! I'm the problem! All the damage I've caused can't be erased that easily!" She kept swinging her arms trying to hit him to get him away._

_Dick grabbed her wrists firmly yet gently, "You're wrong. It's just the opposite." She bowed her head in defeat knowing she was in too much distress to fight back. "You're incredible." He pulled her too his chest letting her go limp, "You're the strong will that keeps everyone going on a mission. If it weren't for you half of our missions would have been abandoned."_

_Artemis shook her head burying her face in his chest. She was a puddle of tears that couldn't so much as mop herself up. She wished she could evaporate and disappear. "I don't know if it's smart for me to stay on the team."_

_Dick loosened his grip on her, scrambling to change her mind before she was set on it. One thought popped into his mind. It was his last chance. "If you leave so do I. I'm not going to stay on the team if you don't." _

_Artemis looked up at him with a small hint of a smile at the corners of her lips. She didn't want him to leave, but he sounded too sure for her to chance it. There was no way she was winning this fight._

_Dick smiled down at her. He brushed a lock of hair out if her face and tucked it behind her ear. His hand lingered on her cheek. He leaned down slowly, ready to be punched in the gut if he was unwelcome. His lips brushed against Artemis's. He pressed them together and waited for the expected punch._

_Artemis did the unthinkable. She reached her arm around his neck and kissed him back._

* * *

Dick sat on Artemis's bed in her mother's small apartment. She wouldn't be expecting him to stay. He looked around at the room. The crack in the window pane, the shoe marks on the ceiling, the small holes in the walls, and the cuts in the desk all held such great memories of their past together. They had spent countless restless nights keeping each other company after a long mission or hard patrol. They had lost more sleep together than either of them ever would have with the rest of the entire team. He chuckled and stood up. He ran his fingers over the different marks remembering each one fondly.

* * *

Artemis climbed up the fire escape slowly. The sun was getting ready to set. There was no way that Dick could have waited this long. He would have thought she had been and gone already. She sat on the edge of the fire escape and watched as the sun started to sink. How many times had she and Dick stared at the sun set? How many times had they sat on the roof and watched the sun rise? It was countless. She could remember all the times that he had comforted her after something had yet again gone wrong. Dick was the one person who could see her weak moments and not see her as fragile. He saw her strength, but he knew that strength was dependent on the situation. She had been his comfort too. The anniversary of his parents' death had been the worst and she was there to be his shoulder to cry on. Artemis climbed up and brushed herself off before opening and climbing through the window. As she looked up she saw him. Dick stood there in the glow of the setting sun.

* * *

Dick turned his head as the light from the window was cut off. Artemis climbed in the window and looked up at him. He gave her a hurt smile, "Didn't think I'd really let you leave did you?"

Artemis folded her arms and looked away, "I'd hoped you would."

He walked over to her and turned her to face him, "Then you don't know me as well as you think."

She turned her back to him, "Does goodbye mean anything to you? If I had wanted you to follow me I would have told you where I was going."

He stepped to her side and turned her to look at him so he could see her face, "If you didn't want me to follow you, you wouldn't have come back here. You knew that I would come looking for you here."

Artemis turned her face into the shadows hoping to hide the tears welling in her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm only here to get a few things before I go again."

Dick could hear her voice fluctuate. She was lying. "Maybe I can change your mind," he put his hand on her opposite cheek and turned her face to him again. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers passionately. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes. He didn't want her to leave him behind again.

Artemis was stiff for a moment before responding. Her longing for him was taking over her want to make this easier. She put her arms around his neck and held him closer. If she were honest with herself, she didn't want to leave him.

The two of them held each other close in the light of the setting sun with the future unknown, and the trials to come waiting with the later rise of the sun.


End file.
